1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an airborne vehicle for firefighting, which possesses an extinguishant container, a detonator, and a fuze.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,139 and FR 1 473 621 disclose a so-called fire extinguishing bomb as an airborne vehicle of the type mentioned initially for firefighting, which comprises a cylindrical gas or plastic container for holding an extinguisher, and an inner container which is arranged concentrically in it, for holding a detonator. The detonator is in this case fired by the external influence of the heat produced by a fire. This has the disadvantage that the extinguishant is not distributed uniformly if the environmental topology is poor. While the flames are extinguished at some points, the fire has time at other points to propagate even more strongly and, possibly, to cause areas that have already been extinguished to burn once again. In the worst case, the fire is fanned out, spread by a certain amount of the extinguishant striking an object whose position is thus changed, and thus itself now causes other objects to burn.
DE 195 00 477 C1 discloses a method and an apparatus for extinguishing forest fires or fires over a larger area. In this case, flexible hoses which are filled with an extinguishant, can be closed at their ends and are provided with a detonator are deployed in front of a fire front. The extinguishant mist is produced by firing the detonator. This results in the periphery of the fire being fought. This means that the outer boundary areas of a burning region can be extinguished, provided that the firefighters can reach them without being endangered. Efficient firefighting is impossible. Those areas which are already burning can be prevented from propagating further, that is to say they can be constrained. However, what is already in flames is generally subject to the destructive effect of the fire until it is completely destroyed, and can no longer be rescued.